New Tutorial for Donna and Route 66 Quilt

I finished the new tutorial.  It is over there ------------- on the right.  It is at the top of the TUTORIAL list and is called "Neckline Finish for Knit V-Neck".

There are two videos where I show you THREE great products to use.  If you sew much, I would highly recommend you buy all three. 

Today, I made the red binding which is 412 inches long! for my Route 66 quilt.

 I am worn out just doing that, so won't start to apply it until tomorrow.  I "Sharon Schambered" it by starching the heck out of it, and that takes a long time -- mostly drying time.  I can't believe I am so close to getting it hung on a wall.  OH!  I have to make a hanging strip too.  Maybe I'll do that today.  And many hours later, here is the 95 Inch long hanger for the back! 

I just wrestled the quilt all around on my cutting table to trim it.  I am pooped! 

That's all for today unless you want to watch the new videos in the tutorial.

Here's the links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZk9t7pY8uo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACCpr2NZPCg

Hugs, Joy

Scrub Brush, Porcupine, French Dart and New Videos for Donna

Fantastic Friday is here.  It is hotter than a pepper sprout around here, but the air conditioning is marvelous!  How pampered we are.  We watched a movie recently -- what was it???  It was about those poor tribes in Africa where that horrible Koby guy murders, rapes, tortures and burns whatever and whomever he pleases.  And the homes the people live in are only straw with dirt floors.  There are flies all over the babies' faces.  Compare that to our taken-for-granted lifestyles of luxury here in America. 

Oh, yes.  It was called something like Machine Gun Preacher -- or Preacher with a Machine Gun.  A true story.  You should watch it, but plan on plugging your ears at the beginning before the guy gets saved.  I HATE language like that, but they didn't curse things with God's name, so that was nice.  Aren't things bad enough already without cursing them with every other breath!  Some people really need to expand their vocabularies!                                                                                                                                

And what does THAT have to do with scrub brushes, porcupines and videos for Donna??? 

I'm going to get to that.

I am uploading the second video to Youtube right now.  I am afraid I waxed quite eloquent in that one and it got a bit lengthy.  I probably need my own 30-minute television program.  You can't say much in 10 minutes, you know?  I think my show could be on The History Channel right after those alligator people that don't have any teeth and who know only three sentences -- or that mountain guy who looks like he has never been introduced to a comb, toothbrush or razor. 

In the last show, the guy -- his name is Eustice -- had a cold, and he was actually dressed just like this guy as he took turns going into his sauna and then into the freezing water outside. 

Then he chewed up some roots of some plant and showed us his green teeth. 

Lovely!  Could be why I haven't seen anything resembling a girlfriend or wife in the program. 

My polka dot tops would be a lot cuter than that!  I could chew on some chocolate and show it all over my teeth -- or my blouse would be more accurate! 

JUST kidding, of course!

So, here's the thing.

Donna left a comment yesterday telling me that she has the Sure-fit Design system and is just learning to use it.  She said the necklines on my knit shirts looked nice, and she asked if I would tell her how I do them.

You know how I love to do tutorials.  Always wanted to be a teacher, you know -- well maybe you don't -- but it is true.  When I was growing up with my two sisters, I LOVED to play school or office or whatever job included having a lot of pens, pencils, crayons, paper, paper clips and such.  I was always the teacher or the boss and I always kept the supplies at my desk (an upside down apple crate).  I would loan them out to my students or employees, but I collected every one before the day was over.  When you are the oldest -- or the biggest -- you can do stuff like that.  I had a brother too, but he was 8 years younger, and he was into trucks and lawnmowers and such.

Unfortunately, you aren't allowed to be a teacher unless you go to college.  In our house, only boys went to college and the girls married boys who went to college.  Mother did insist -- and I'm SO GLAD -- that the girls learn how to type and take shorthand.  I took to both like a fish-to-water -- of course -- lots of pens and paper involved there -- so I began my career as a Secretary.  Very smart of my Mother.  I don't know how my one-year-younger sister, Janice, did at typing; but I do know that my three-year-younger sister, Judy, did HORRIBLE at it.  She told me that the teacher gave her a "D" because she felt sorry for her.  She was one of those super-cute children with long ringlets and weepy eyes.  Everyone adored her.  I was just ordinary with thin, fly-away hair and big teeth put together in an overbite.  Even when I finally got old enough to develop some boobs and look a little like a girl, one boy in the class tossed pennies down the front of my dress to watch them drop swiftly to the floor between my legs.  The boys found it quite hilarious.  Is it any WONDER I have such low self esteem!?  I never dreamt I would be doing Full Bust Alterations later in life.

One year -- fourth grade, I think -- my Mother got the bright idea to get me a permanent.  WHY ON EARTH she decided to get me just HALF a permanent, I never knew.

She permed only the top of my head and the sides and left the back straight.  There is something so wrong with that.  I was so skinny.  I looked like a scrubbrush!  If I had a picture, I would share it here.  I'm sure nobody thought my new do was picture-worthy!

Maybe it was because my parents couldn't afford to take us to a beauty shop.  Mom had a friend named Johnnie that taught Mom and Daddy that white flour and white sugar were horrible for you, and it probably is what caused Mom's vericose veins.  Johnnie also gave permanents.  What luck for me, huh?  Maybe it was cheaper if she just permed half a head, or maybe she didn't have enough curlers.  Maybe she had too much white sugar and white flour as a child, and she couldn't see I had hair on the BACK of my head too!

I am cackling as I just recalled that much later in life -- probably in my 30's -- Johnnie came to visit me with my Mother.  I have always cut my own hair, and Johnnie needed a haircut, so my Mother volunteered my services.  Well, Johnnie's hair was as course as wire and she had enough for the whole neighborhood.  I cut and cut and cut and cut.  I thought I would never get to the last strand.  She went in the bathroom to fix it, and when she came out, she looked like a porcupine!!!  She kept saying, "Thank you so much, Joy!"  "Thank you so much, Joy!"  "I just can't thank you enough, Joy!"

I looked at my Mom and my Mom looked at me, and it was all we could do to keep from falling over in laughter.  I guess she really liked it though or she didn't want to hurt my feelings.  She was a very nice lady and died many years ago.  I bet she is laughing in heaven right now. 

AND, I almost forgot, Carol requested more information on the french dart.  This is an AMAZING dart.  I will agree 100% with Peggy Sagers on french darts making you look slimmer and almost disappearing.  Hence, Carol is asking me where it is.  Here is a picture of the PAPER pattern with the ADJUSTMENT changing it from a regular bust dart to a french dart.

 And here is a picture showing you EXACTLY WHERE on this blouse the french dart is:

Alright, that's it for today.  I really do have two new videos all about how I finish the v-necklines in my knit tops per Donna's request.  I will put them over there on the right side of my blog under "Tutorials".  It may be tomorrow before you can view them, but no later than that.

Gotta go fix some leftovers for hubby.  I made goulash last night, and you know you can eat that for days after.  Add a salad and some bread and a different vegie than the night before. 

Hugs, Joy

New SFD Knit Blouse and Shocked by Court Ruling

This has been a very quiet day.  I sewed all morning, and Jerry worked here in his office.  We went to lunch at AC Cafe.  Jerry went to work, and I came upstairs and finished my new blouse.  The fit is PERFECT.  This is from my Sure-fit Designs Knit Blueprint.  I have put a french dart in it.  That's as brave as I have gotten on design features.  OHHHH, and I did NOT put a center back seam in this one.  I can't see a thing wrong with it, and I am not going to put one again until I see a reason I should.

 

I'm not trying to look like a screwball on the couch here.  I'm trying to show you my french dart.  I think it shows up pretty well.

I think I may have this fabric upside down.  All the big roses are pointing down.  Thank goodness, some of them are pointing up!

This material is like cream on my skin.  It feels wonderful.

Sad news, however.  I stated on my last video that when I get through sewing something, I wear it downstairs and cook dinner in it to see if Jerry NOTICES it.  Now that is no small task -- getting him to notice something -- so it really makes me happy when he does.  When I wore the black with white polka dots down, he noticed it immediately.  Now, really, is black with white polka dots anywhere NEAR as exciting as this number???  How many times have I worn a zebra with roses in my life?  NEVER!

Alas, I wore it down last night -- even though it had no sleeves, hem or facing -- and I cooked the entire dinner and did dishes in it.  He never noticed it at all.  I'll be wearing it again tonight, so he will have one more chance!

Phylly and I are quite unhappy about the ruling by the Supreme Court today.  She says she is going to put a gravestone in her yard signifying the death of our Constitution.  I told Jerry we should move to a different country because this just is not the America our forefathers fought and died for.  Very sad and disheartening.  Christians ARISE!  We must all pray, and we must all vote!

Guess I will go start dinner and listen to Fox News discuss it to death.  It really does sicken my soul that we are losing so much freedom. 

Hugs, Joy

Carpet, Jewelry and Two New Back Fit Videos

Two guys showed up today -- Eddie and ? -- from the carpet store in town.  As I said yesterday, they showed up without tack strip, so they had to immediately leave.  They arrived back and began the task of putting in the new pad and the old carpet.  No problems there.  They did a great job.  Of course, I stood right there and watched them the entire time.  Workers always love that about me!

When they got done, they didn't vacuum all the frizzies on top of the carpet as carpet installers usually do.  PLUS, they were leaving, and they hadn't moved my furniture back.  Maybe they weren't supposed to do that -- I don't know -- but since it was the carpet guy who moved all the furniture OFF of the carpet weeks ago, I took a chance and asked if they would mind just moving the heavy hutch back for me.  They weren't too thrilled about it, but they agreed.

I had purchased some of those furniture-mover-arounder-pads from Walmart, so I thought it would be easy.  IT WASN'T.  The pads were super cheap and would not even move on the floor.  One of the guys was pushing so hard to get the hutch to slide on the hard tile and up onto the carpet, that a window broke out of the side of the hutch.  He was shocked and felt terrible, but I told him right away that it wasn't his fault at all and to please not worry about it.  

Word of advice:  Buy the GOOD furniture mover pads.  They are NOT all created equal! 

I worked for hours after they left trying to get the room back the way it used to be.  It still has no curtains or pictures, but it is almost back to perfect. 

Margaret:  You can see the carpet color in this photo.

I really don't know WHY I even own the hutch and all the pretty dishes in it.  It isn't my style at all.  I am simple and uncluttered and like things easily used and easily cleaned up and easily put away.  Formal stuff doesn't fill that bill at all!  It's Jerry's thing -- not mine.  If I had my way, that room would have all our exercise equipment in it on a wood or tile floor.

I decided to take another Craftsy.com class since Phylly told me she is taking it.  It appears I am going to have to buy half the contents of a beading store to begin.  Thank goodness, I like SIMPLE jewelry.

I would like to be able to make a pair of earrings or a bracelet to go with each blouse I make.  How fun would that be!?

And, yes, I did make two new videos.  You won't be at all interested in them UNLESS you have a round back and a sway back and are interested in what you do to the paper pattern.

Here is the Link to Part 1:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lhz55JIHZA

Here is the Link to Part 2:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRkOarv4_zk

I did get a bit off-topic and began ranting about Peggy Sagers last webcast where she told the whole world to THROW AWAY all the fitting books.  Does she really think she is the ONLY PERSON ON EARTH that knows how to make something fit?  I don't think I'm at the top of her Christmas list anyway.  I can imagine what she would think of my fitting tip videos if she ever saw them. 

Speaking of Peggy, I just received her latest video called "Darts Are A Girls' Best Friend".  Too bad she didn't have me help her edit that title.  That is her version -- not mine.  Her book has LOTS of misspelled words or missing words.  Wonder if I should tell the whole world to throw it away.  Okaaaaaaay!!!!  I slapped my hand.  That was NOT nice!

Gotta go.

Hugs, Joy

Carpet and Countertops

Today is the day -- maybe -- to get my carpet put back in the dining room.  They will be here either at 11:00 -- maybe -- or 12:00 -- maybe -- or 1:00 -- maybe -- or 2:00.  It is now 1:28, so it appears the first three estimates are out of the question.  Does one EVER get used to this!?

Chuck called me from Accent Marble to ask if he could come out to measure my countertops.

REWIND backward two or three weeks......  Some guy already came out here and did all of that!

Chuck is coming anyway sometime this afternoon.  Hopefully, his "afternoon" definition falls somewhere before midnight or the next day!  I have cleared off every single thing from the countertops AGAIN!

I am cutting out another blouse right away from the same SFD knit pattern the polka dot top came from BEFORE my body decides to morph into another mystery shape.

Then, I am going to make the scarf top.  I figure at 106 degrees outside today, I don't really need a scarf top this minute.

I received a call from Kay, the realtor who is trying to sell Jerry's Mom's house in Kingfisher, OK.  She said she showed it last night -- FINALLY -- and that the lady seemed interested.  She said the market has been absolutely dead for months there.  The banks are complaining to her that nobody wants to borrow money.  I kind of hope it doesn't sell in this extreme heat, because GUESS who will have to go finish emptying the house and the garage????  Yep, me.

Well, I have to tell you that I have discovered the big SECRET of getting workmen to show up at your house.  I decided right after I wrote the paragraph above this one that I was tired of waiting for people to NOT show up, so I was going to pretend like I didn't care if they showed up.  I decided I was going to make a new video.  I ran downstairs to see if my hair was still on my head halfway straight and check my lipstick to see if it wiped off on my hamburger at lunch.  Then I ran back upstairs and set up my camera.  Just as I started to talk into the camera, my phone rang.  It was the carpet guys telling me they were almost here.  I turned everything off and ran downstairs to get the dining room ready for their arrival.  They arrived shortly thereafter.

I called Roger yesterday to tell him to be SURE to send tack strip.  I called the store and talked to Cliff this morning and told him to be SURE to send tack strip.

Guess what the carpet guys did NOT bring?  Yep.  No tack strip.  So they were here a total of two minutes before they had to leave to go get tack strip.  I wasn't the least bit shocked or surprised, and I was glad they were gone so I could run upstairs and make my new video.  No sooner did I start talking to the camera, a truck drove up out front and it was the countertop guys.  I stopped again and ran downstairs to let them in. 

Sooooooooooooooooo, the trick is to act like nobody is coming -- or better yet, act like you don't even WANT anyone to come -- and they will all suddenly be at your front door!

Gotta go.  Jerry wants to watch a movie.  Got a call from Hollie today and we talked for about an hour, and I just now got a call from Boo Bear.  Does my heart GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD, let me tell you!  I love those kids so much.

Hugs, Joy

Reconstruction Blues, New SFD Book and SFD Knit Top

Monnnday, Monnndaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay, la la la la la ....  How does that song go?  All I remember are the first two words.

This Monday started out like so many others.  First, I called the cabinet top place, Accent Marble in Sherman, Texas, and I talked to Paul.  Paul is very nice but sounds to be about 80, and I wouldn't be surprised, because his memory seems to be NONexistent.  He was supposed to call me when my sink came in, but he FORGOT.  It came in last Wednesday.  They were supposed to call me the MOMENT it got there to tell me if they were going to use it or return it.  No call.  IF the sink was acceptable to be attached to our countertop, it was to be 10 days from that point before installation.  Thank goodness I called to check on it this morning, because they JUST called to order the countertops after I called them.

HOW ON EARTH do these places stay in business!

Then I called Michael, our builder, to find out if he had died, retired or gotten amnesia.  None of the above.  He just FORGOT.  He had called about the sink, but FORGOT to call me.  He also FORGOT to order a window (another project). 

I think I am going to embroider some shirts for these guys that say "I FORGOT".  I will embroider one for myself to, and when they come to collect their money, I will put on my shirt that says "I FORGOT".

After that, I called Roger who owns the carpet store.  He is the MOST hyper person I have ever known.  He makes ME sound lethargic. 

He recognizes my voice immediately so I don't even have to tell him who I am. 

"Oh!  I am on that -- I'm on it right away -- I'm on the phone -- well, I WAS on the phone -- but I am trying to get my installers in here right now -- it will be right away -- well, maybe today -- or maybe tomorrow -- but I am on it -- so don't you worry at all -- I will call you and let you know!"

Now say that as FAST AS YOU CAN without breathing, and you'll have Roger.  Very nice, and very friendly, but he talks a thousand-words-per-minute! 

AND, he is the ONLY one that didn't say, "I forgot."

I went by my office yesterday to check my mail, and was excited to find Glenda's new book on my desk.  This one is all about Shirt Kit designs.  You can go to http://www.surefitdesigns.com/ to see it for yourself together with a short video showing all of the styles.  I really like the one with the scarf-attacher-thingy on the shoulders.  I love scarfs, and when you are old and have a neck that looks like one of those wrinkle dogs, you are supposed to wear big jewelry or scarves.

I HATE big jewelry because it is

#1, uncomfortable, and

#2, looks like I was chained to a wall and somehow escaped.  I think it is my narrow shoulders and delicate frame.

QUIT LAUGHING!!!

I have friends, Lu and Deanna, that have big hair and broad shoulders and they look AWESOME in big jewelry.  In fact, I gave some of mine to Lu so it can be seen somewhere other than inside my jewelry drawer.

I have a bunch of real pretty scarves though from the olden days.  I would love to wear them again without having to figure out how to tie them and fuss with them all day long to keep them in the proper position.  I think I may try that style first.  Will keep you posted. 

I will make a video when I get it made (if Glenda doesn't mind) so you can see how my scarves look with the top.  First, I need to add a bust dart to the pattern. 

I did start a new top yesterday with the polka dot fabric I made Lindy's yoga waist band with.  It is HORRIBLE fabric marked "Hancock Fabrics" on the selvage.  It is a knit, but it is an odd one.  The edges curl so much, you have to hold the edges out with your fingers to sew a seam.  I had to interface the neckline to get it to behave.  Icky stuff.  Hopefully, the blouse will look alright finished -- which will be soon -- IF I get away from this computer!  

What are the chances of opening up a dictionary to the EXACT page a word is on?  I just did.  I was looking up "selvage".  Did you know it can be spelled two ways:  "selvage" and "selvedge".  Just FYI.

And here is the polka dot top.  I still don't like the fabric, but....  As Jerry says when he doesn't like a shirt, "I can always wear it to fish in".

 

Hugs, Joy

Sunday Notes and Goodbye to Lindy

Church started at 8:30 AM, as usual, on the big monitor here in my sewing room.  Praise and worship was really good this morning.  Evidently, John Hagee's people have upped the game on the transmission.  The music used to be pretty bad.  NOT the actual music, but the reception over my computer.  I sang along with every song while Jerry lip-sinced -- he NEVER sings -- and Lindy listened.  I know the words to most of the songs since I was raised on them.  Jerry has a wonderful deep, manly voice, but he will not open his mouth and let it come out.  I've never even caught him singing in the shower.  If I don't know you are here, you WILL hear me singing.

There was a guest from Angola (?), Africa today.  An amazing man who said he grew up SO POOR, that the poor people called them poor.  He never owned a pair of shoes until he was 18 years old.  Somehow, he got to go to school, and he turned out to be a major brain and has all kinds of math degrees.  He has a doctorate in some kind of math.  After he got all those degrees, he became a preacher.  He has crowds -- according to CNN's sky cams -- of SEVEN MILLION people.  They have had to figure out a way to have more meetings so he can have just two million at a time.  Can you imagine?!  Praise God that people in Africa are coming to Jesus.  Maybe if we Christians move there, we can have freedom of religion again!

His wife was quite a character.  She was dressed in a gorgeous pink ensemble, including a hat.  She is known as Mrs. G. O. -- "General Overseer".  She was the lady "in charge", and she looked the part.  Very classy!

His message began with a prayer ON HIS KNEES.  I loved it.  Not in a show-offy way at all, but total submission to God.  We had to leave about half way through his sermon to get Lindy returned to her Dad, but the first half was about Jesus is the SAME, yesterday, today and forever!

And now our precious Lindy has gone back home to her Dad's house.  He met us at McDonald's to pick her up, and we had a nice chat with him.  Peter is from England, and he and Lindy are going there for two weeks very soon.  His Dad and Mom are in their 80's and are too frail to travel to the United States as they used to do quite often.  What an experience that will be for Lindy.  She says she is coming back here again when she returns from England. 

Jerry misses her already.  He says she is the BEST fishing partner he has ever had. 

He said she NEVER COMPLAINS about anything.   

Funny, he never says that about me.

She really doesn't complain though -- about the food, or the weather, or the fish not biting, or us asking her to do something.  She is a very loving, sweet girl.  Her parent's divorce has been very hard on her and her brothers.  For years, when the rest of us would be griping and complaining and getting on to one another, Lindy would say, "Can't we just LOVE each other!?"

This time, Lindy was really upset about the situation, and actually had just moved away from her Mother's house and into her Father's house.  She was telling me she just couldn't stand it anymore, but did not mention any particular reason why or badmouth anyone.  I would have had a detailed list, 20 pages long, with pictures and names and addresses of witnesses!

I said, "Lindy, you were always the positive one that told us all to just LOVE each other!"  "What happened?"

She said, "I just gave up because nobody was listening to me."

I told her to NEVER give up.  I told her that God isn't going to judge us for how "others love us".  God is going to judge us for how "we love others".  I told her she was the WISE one, the RIGHT one, and asked her to please not ever change.

God is at work in the background, however, and things can change in a moment.  I'm believing God is going to bring our family back together.  I don't know how, and  I don't know when.  But He does.  I trust Him completely. 

Right now, I am very thankful for the sweetest granddaughter in the whole wide world!

Hugs, Joy

Surgery and Yoga Pants

Up very early and one hour drive to Ardmore to the Day Surgery place for Jerry's nose-spot-removal of some kind of cancer I never can remember the kind of.  Basically, it is the kind you get when you go fishing all the time when you are in your 30's, and you don't listen to your wife nagging you to put on a hat and sunscreen.  It wasn't nearly as bad as the last time, Thank God!  Just a small place. 

We came back home with doctor's orders for Jerry to rest for 24 hours, so he has been in his office working ever since.  He doesn't listen to me.  WHY should he listen to the doctor?  Makes sense.

Lindy and I came upstairs to finish her yoga pants.  The first pair was too big, as I said yesterday, so I just started over with an adjusted paper pattern.  I did a "Peggy fix" and took a big dart under the butt so the pant would tuck under Lindy's darling round butt that she did NOT inherit from my side of the family. 

Then we decided to put a contrasting band on the pant.  It is so cute, that I am going to make myself a pair just like them excluding the tight curve under the bottom. 

 

 Here is Lindy sewing the pants together.

Here she is folding the waistband in half so we can put the 2" wide elastic inside it.  We later changed the waistband to a contrast knit fabric.

And here are the completed pants:

You notice she has a major sway back.  She DEFINITELY got THAT from me.  I think I should have brought the back up to remove the drag lines at the thigh, but I'm not sure because the crotch was perfect.  Fitting is SO HARD!  Maybe a deeper dart under her bottom.

Lindy just announced that she wants to go fishing AGAIN!  Papa is recovering, so guess who has to go with her?  I'd rather make her more yoga pants.

Hugs, Joy

Fish and Yoga Pants for Lindy

Goodness!!!  This girl is a fishaholic.  She wants to go fishing AGAIN tonight.  I am not going this time.  She and her Papa can go and fish themselves silly.  I went with them yesterday from 3 until 8.  That's a long time on the lake for me.  The fish were biting pretty good, and Lindy was loving it, so I didn't complain -- much.  The only accidents were that we lost a couple of lures when the lines broke, and Papa's hat flew off into the lake.  Not too bad. 

When we got back home with our 7 fish, Lindy announced that she wanted Papa to teach her how to clean them.  Now, you can bet your life that is one request you will NEVER hear come out of MY mouth!  If you have a queazy stomach, don't look at the next few pictures.  Being the neatnik that I am, I don't like to cut things up that bleed and make a mess all over the sink.

Here she is cleaning one of the fish.  She is still in her bathing suit -- which I considered quite insufficient to fill that description, but -- I didn't want to be too "Grandmaee" all at once and tell her she wasn't ABOUT to wear that scrap of fabric outside the house.  If there had been a boy in the boat -- other than her Papa -- it would have been different.  Her Mother and I have a totally different idea of what is appropriate attire on a young girl, but then if you have known me over five minutes, you know her Mother and I don't agree on much of anything these days.

Here she is with the fish fillets all cleaned up and ready for me to finish preparing for a fish fry.  Isn't she just the cutest thing???  And check out how she poses for me now.  I LOVE IT!!!!  Tears are the greatest motivator, don't you think?  Oh, didn't I tell you......  I cried when she complained to me earlier that she didn't want me taking her picture.

Jerry had a great time too.  I am so very happy when he is relaxing and doing his favorite thing.  He will do this for the grandkids as they are more important to him than his work, as it should be.  Of course, Lindy hasn't even been here for several years.

Here's Papa with the biggest catch of the day.

I told you -- I think -- that Lindy wanted me to show her how to make yoga pants. 

Well, of course, I was delighted to be able to show off my intensive amount of experience and expertise to my granddaughter. 

The first thing I did was show her how to measure her waist, hip, waist to knee and knee to ankle. 

Then we circled the waist measurement and the hip measurement on the back of the pattern.  Wouldn't you think that a Rocket Scientist of Sewing like myself could get THAT PART right???  Well, guess again.

I totally forgot about Silhouette Patterns pattern measurements being FINISHED garment size instead of BODY size.  Lindy sewed them up just perfectly, and when we put them on her, they looked like she had tried on a pair of MY yoga pants.  They were huge everywhere but the waist.  I proceeded to remove the waistband, pin up the 4 leg seams, and she tried them on again.  They were better, but she still wanted them tighter. 

Before we ever started making them, I asked her if she wanted them tight.  She said, "No." 

I probably should point out here that teenagers don't communicate very well.  I have taken those pants in FIVE times so far today, and she still wants them tighter at her thigh.  After I reminded her that she said she did NOT want them tight, she said, "I meant in the ankle, Grandma." 

That isn't Lindy, but she has pants as tight as that.  These will NOT be that way!  WHY bother wearing anything!? 

I must go and take the pants in some more.  Hopefully, this will be the last time.  I'll take a picture for tomorrow if she will let me.

Hugs, Joy

A Fish Caught Me AND My I-Phone!

Let me see, where do I start.  This has been such a day, I don't know if I can remember it all.  I told you in my last post about Lindy getting up and running down to the pond early to fish.  Well, after I finished my blog post this morning, I decided to go down to see what she and Papa were up to.  Papa was taking something to her, and I had a feeling he wouldn't be to work any too early today, and he wasn't.

You know Jerry is "Mr. Fix-it" but he is also The Dock Boss.  Lindy loves to fish, and she can do everything herself.  I love to WATCH Lindy fish or Papa fish or Boo fish or whoever.  I really don't care if I do it or not -- BUT if I happen to BE fishing, and a miracle happens, and I actually CATCH something, I do really enjoy that and I usually let out a loud squeal of delight known to be heard by distant neighbors.  I think Jerry likes it when I do that because he feels he may have turned me in to a die-hard fisherwoman.  Can't help what he wants to think. 

Actually, it is nearly 8 PM and Papa and Lindy are still at the dock fishing now.  I left because they kept wanting me to fish, and my fishing pole didn't want to work right, and I couldn't catch anything, and I kept getting in trouble.  Lindy picks up her baited hook, leans her pole back behind her, gives it a mighty toss, and the bait goes flying clear across the pond and lands nicely in the exact spot she aimed for.  She immediately catches a big bass -- reels it in -- takes it off the hook -- rebaits her hook and does it all again.
Jerry can cast to a spot on the pond the size of a dime and land on it every time.

Lindy hooks a nice fat minnow onto my hook, and I have the exact same rod and reel style that she does.  I twist my body sideways with the pole over my shoulder.  I push the button that lets the line loose and I hold it.  Then I swing hard and sling as hard as I can while letting go of the button.  My line goes out about 3 feet and LOCKS tight in the reel, the minnow, however, keeps going and flies off into the air like a projectile clear across the pond -- just like Lindy's.  Only problem is, he isn't on a hook anymore and swims to his freedom. 

Now, I forgot to tell you.  When we were fishing last night and this morning, some big turtles kept trying to eat our bait.  They chased us all over the pond.  So tonight, Jerry brought his big net over to the pond so we could try to catch the turtles.  Jerry was trying to lure a big turtle over to the dock by reeling his minnow slowly back to it.  The turtle would follow almost the entire way, but then it would see us and turn around and swim away like its tail was on fire.  I suggested Jerry let the turtle CATCH the minnow, and then he could pull it back to the dock.  So he did that.  My job was to hold the net and scoop the turtle out of the pond.  The turtle got all the way to the pond, and I bent over and scooped him up in the big net and pulled him in.  I immediately put the net with the turtle in it down on the dock and ran to get my camera, OF COURSE!  Jerry hollered at me, "GET BACK HERE, JOY, before the turtle gets away!!!"  So you can blame him that I have no turtle picture to show you.

I still haven't told you the best/worst part of the story today.  When we go to the dock, we take an assortment of various fishing objects, bottles of water, magic rags, wasp spray and Off.  Jerry had left to go to work about 10 AM, and Lindy and I stayed to fish.  I decided we should go in about 10:30 and get cleaned up so we could go to town and have lunch with Jerry at noon.  I had gone to put the poles in the Mule and Lindy was cleaning off the table when I heard, "OH, NO!!!!!"  "GRANDMA!!!!!"  "YOUR CELL PHONE FELL INTO THE POND!"

I told her to jump in and get it out, but for some reason, she thought that an unreasonable request.  I just stood there not knowing what to do, with the thought swimming around in my head that after the first horrible mishap of the morning -- which I forgot to tell you about -- Jerry was going to kill me!

Now, WHAT are the chances of this happening -- really???  I have a bobber and a minnow out in the water because Jerry handed me HIS fishing pole and told me to hold it for him.  I actually had it reeled totally back in, and it was just hanging there over the side of the dock.  Something happened.  I think Lindy caught a real big bass, and I wanted to take a picture of it.  I laid Jerrys rod and reel down on the dock where it seemed perfectly safe.  Next thing I know Jerry is SCREAMING at me, "JOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!  I turn around to see what his problem is, and he is staring at the spot his fishing pole just went under the water with a fish pulling it under as fast as he could.  He was SO MAD at me! 

I spent the next 30 minutes trying to CATCH his fishing pole.  Never caught the fishing pole, but I did catch one of the lawnchairs that blew in the pond several weeks ago and a fishing pole that fell in several years ago. 

Such fun, like I say.  You really should try it. 

Went to town to the AT&T store, and was fortunate to get a clerk right away to wait on me, but Lindy and I both decided the girl had not washed her hair in at least a week.  Lindy pretty much put all the information in the new phone.  These kids are so far ahead of us with technical things.  I lost ALL of my information in my cell phone, so I have to start all over again with contacts.  She had put in about 30 of them before we even got home from the store.

Time for a recliner and a movie and a glass of ice water.  Hopefully, I won't lose anything else doing that.

Hugs, Joy